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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 12, 2020 5:02:23 GMT
I can't decide if I've gone too narrow and small. My evil empire currently rules over 23 worlds. I'm wondering if that's too puny to be called an empire? I think maybe my universe is too small. It is a small universe. I do have options to make it bigger, but I was trying to make it tighter. I'm just not sure, right now. And I am tired after working on it all day, so that doesn't help, either.
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Post by robertlcollins on Oct 12, 2020 12:07:15 GMT
I think it depends on a few factors. Are they the biggest power? If so then it’ll be enough, especially if the other powers are half that or smaller. How are planets settled? Are there colonies on just habitable planets, or anywhere strategic? The fewer habitable planets the more impressive lower numbers will be in-universe.
How does space travel work? If it’s easy FTL like Star Trek, it’s not an impressive number. Harder methods of getting around will make it more impressive. Location also counts. If it happens that this evil empire is in a part of the galaxy where there are more habitable worlds than elsewhere, then the number will make sense in the story.
Which leads to another point: will the action go to all those worlds? If so then 23 will be tricky for readers to keep track of, unless the action goes to one world at a time. If the characters will only be on a few during the story, then it’s no big deal. Figure out a way of making it impressive in dialogue and description and keep the plot moving.
Hope all this helps. Good luck!
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Post by Jeff Tanyard on Oct 13, 2020 4:34:21 GMT
I don't know how many planets are controlled by each major power in my space opera, and I'm currently writing book 5 of the series. The answer to that question is basically "many," and I create new worlds on an as-needed basis.
I also have many independent worlds and many worlds that aren't officially known to be settled but are.
The important thing isn't the number of worlds in an empire so much as it's "balance." There needs to be a credible counterweight to the empire, otherwise the empire would easily gobble up all the remaining worlds, right? Maybe your 23-world empire can be opposed by a coalition consisting of a 12-world empire, a 9-world kingdom, a 3-world alliance, and another 17 independent worlds. The "cold war" can be the big empire and the other groups all vying to bring those independent worlds into their folds. And the independent worlds know the position they're in, so they're constantly playing one major power against the other. Or whatever. But the point is balance to create a sort of galactic equilibrium.
Or you can multiply each of those numbers by a thousand. Ratios remain the same, but the universe just got a lot bigger. 
It's your universe, so there are no limits. Let your imagination roam.  |
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 14, 2020 16:37:03 GMT
Thanks Jeff Tanyard, great answers!!! I have a lot to think about. |
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 21, 2020 15:13:03 GMT
I'm thinking that TUOK may be a single world and not an entire universe.
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 29, 2020 17:14:16 GMT
I've decided that in TUOK, universe and world are the same thing. World is used mostly when speaking about the people or society, while universe is used when speaking poetically or abstractly about TUOK as a whole. So my universe contains just one world. It's a very teeny-tiny universe, but I like it like that.
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Post by K'Sennia Visitor on Oct 31, 2020 14:35:32 GMT
And now I'm back to an actual universe with many worlds. *teehee* I have these urges to be impatient and to try and condense everything into something that I can see the end of, but I want TUOK to be epic, and that doesn't lend itself to condensation. I think my empire is brutal to keep everyone they do have, and they hold a lot of territory, but not the entire universe or multiverse. Also there may be time travel and various series may take place in different eras. I need organization, patience, and control. The three things which I'm best at!  |
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